


Like a Small Stone Trying to Stay the Mighty River

by fireflysummers_ao3



Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Also feelings, Gen, a good number of feelings, warnings for references to biblical and historical violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-06
Updated: 2019-07-06
Packaged: 2020-06-23 11:45:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19700704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fireflysummers_ao3/pseuds/fireflysummers_ao3
Summary: Crowley tempts Christ.





	Like a Small Stone Trying to Stay the Mighty River

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: If things were recorded in an accurate linear fashion, the temptations of Christ technically came before the beheading of John the Baptist. But time is wibbly-wobbly in the Bible sometimes, and I hope I don’t get struck by lightning for wibbly-wobbling it even more.

“They’ll kill you, you know,” Crowley intends the words to come off as a scoff or a taunt, but he’s certain that he’s betrayed the sincere warning lurking just beneath the surface. “Just like they did your cousin.”

He casts a side-glance at the other man, who sits peacefully on the temple wall, dirty sandled feed swinging idly as he watches Jerusalem below. Something about that serenity rubs Crowley the wrong way, enough to turn the tone of his next words into the hiss and snarl that he’d initially attempted.

“You’re okay with that then? Just…chop chop, head on a silver platter for the king?” he spits, “You’re just going to lie down and die, because the Great Blessed Plan demands you to?”

“Yes.” Yeshua has turned his placid gaze away from the city below, and turns it on Crowley. As their eyes meet, Crowley feels his breath catch in his chest, his horribly human heart stutter like it wants to freeze.

Crowley doesn’t know if this is the Christ. In fact, up until that moment he had severely doubted he _was_ … except for that _look_ , that freezes him to his core. That actually _sees_ him, regardless of whether or not he wants to be seen. Like She had looked at him, lifetimes ago.

The look vanishes, replaced with a sad smile that doesn’t quite reach eyes that still reflect Her. Crowley feels like he can breathe again, bringing with it a new swell of panic. He doesn’t know why he’s trying. He doesn’t know why he even cares. This is just another human, or worse, a deity incarnate… he should be celebrating! Wiling away to bring an end to this man’s blessed (truly blessed, not a curse as Crowley so often uses it) ministry. He doesn’t know why he wants so desperately for that not to come to pass…

Except that he does.

Yeshua is kind and good and intelligent, of a caliber that he’s rarely if ever seen in a human…and even more rarely in heaven or hell. He has sat at the fringes of sermons and witnessed miracles, but even more than that he had watched from the shadows as Yeshua ministered to the sick, the poor, the afflicted of this world. To bless even the children.

And loath as Crowley was to admit it, the mere act of _watching_ had made something ache, deep in the place his soul had once been.

He does not want this light to go out. Not yet.

Heaven didn’t deserve it.

Selfish, he knows. But he’s a demon. He’s allowed to be selfish. Required, even.

“You could leave!” Crowley says, a final desperate bid, “Not forever! Just until all this bloodlust settles down. Exile isn’t all _that_ bad!”

Crowley waves his hands, then snaps his fingers. Jerusalem sprawling beneath is replaced with another scene altogether, from a kingdom far, far to the north. It’s greener there, beautiful in a way that more closely emulates Eden, but it has not escaped the ravages of the Roman Empire.

“There are others who need you!” He gestures to the image of a small child, huddling away in an alley as a legion of soldiers march through, eyes large and frightened. “Your…your comfort, and teachings, and miracles! There’s so much good you could still do!”

He snaps again, and the scene shifts to another place, equally beautiful and terrible as the last. And then another, and then another. All the kingdoms of the world, beautiful and diverse and broken, that would receive a messiah far better than this lot had.

“I could…” Crowley hesitates here, sensing that he’s toeing a line that could get him in a lot of trouble if crossed, but he soldiers on. “I could help. Pull a few favors! Just…just _ask_ me.”

The offer hangs in the hot air, silence stretching between heartbeats.

“No,” Yeshua says at length, “Please. Do not tempt me.”

It’s not a demand. It’s not the smiting force that sent the Legion from the body of a man into a herd of swine. It is not _get thee behind me, Satan_ , but a request. The words are soft, sad, and filled with an understanding that he doesn’t want.

“Fine,” Crowley snaps, “Sod it all. Don’t come crying to me when it all goes south.”

They settle into less-than-amicable silence once again, Crowley’s mind still racing, trying to figure a new angle to approach this temptation, ignoring that horrible feeling that he has already lost. He wonders, idly, if Aziraphale would fare any better. But then again, the angel had (unhappily) let the children drown in the name of the Great Plan; he would more likely chase Crowley off, for being so proud as to even try to interfere now.

“You are awfully kind, for a demon,” Yeshua says, the gentleness in his face too much. Crowley turns away like he’s been slapped, willing away the burning sensation in his own yellow, demonic eyes.

“M’not,” he mutters, words coming out strangled, “It’s all according to the Great Plan. I’m doing my demon-y business, trying to thwart it. Evil. The worst.”

Yeshua laughs, then, and for the first time since their conversation had begun the smile seems to reach his eyes. It’s so familiar, so loving, so _holy_ that without thinking Crowley turns and flees.

**Author's Note:**

> You can come scream at me on tumblr (fireflysummers) or twitter (firefly_summers)!


End file.
